Winter sports may be on the minds of Blue Mountains youngsters looking to experiment with skiing, snowboarding, ice hockey or even curling.
And in 2025 - a few years later than planned due to COVID and other planning issues - they may have the facilities to indulge these interests.
Subject to planning approvals, Winter Sports World is expected to open prior to the airport's scheduled opening in 2026.
Winter Sports World, to be built on the banks of the Nepean River in Penrith, will be Australia's first indoor snow resort and alpine attraction.
WSW is expected to generate approximately 900 new ongoing jobs, 250,000 tourist visits and inject $80 million each year into the western Sydney economy.
Site owner and developer Peter Magnisalis has been working with the NSW government and Penrith City Council on a design brief since October, and is keen to work with Australian architects.
The $300 million development will include:
- A 300m advanced run for experienced athletes and a dedicated learn to ski run
- Olympic-sized ice rink
- Competition venue for figure, ice hockey, speed skating and alpine skiing
- Ice climbing for mountaineer training
- 4.5-star 162-room hotel
- Restaurant and cafes with snow views
"I don't think it's a big stretch of the imagination to think that Winter Olympics stars of the future will be training at Winter Sports World,'' Mr Magnisalis said.
The centre would incorporate a diverse raft of year-round winter-sports facilities, he said.
Former winter Olympian, Stephen Edwards, is the centre's performance director and said the new facility would save Australian winter athletes from "spending half the year overseas" because it offered a year-round training facility for alpine skiing, freestyle and snowboarding.
Leading sustainable architecture practice Environa Studio said it aims to be carbon neutral.
Architect Tone Wheeler said: "The entire operation, including the hotel, will run from a 1.2 megawatt power supply of photovoltaic solar cells on the roof, the equivalent of 220 homes with PV panels, run through an on-site battery storage facility."
